A multiple-police force drug bust that netted millions of dollars in drugs and cash in late 2011 moved closer to a finale Wednesday with a 31-year-old Ottawa man’s being sentenced to 12 years in penitentiary for gun and drug crimes.

El-Zein had been free on strict bail conditions since March 2012 and working in his family’s bakery.

“You chose to participate in a high-stakes, dangerous criminal venture that risked many lives and a multitude of unknown victims, particularly the end users of your drug activities,” Justice Lynn Ratushny told El-Zein.

Of the 22 Ottawa-area residents charged after Project Sleepwalker’s final takedown shortly before Christmas 2011, seven have had charges withdrawn, several have pleaded guilty and been sentenced, and the remainder are at the pre-trial stage.

Four of those at the pre-trial stage face gun- and drug-related charges similar to those that netted El-Zein his 12 years. The remainder are drug-related only.

Those arrested were aged from 21 to 60.

Project Sleepwalker uncovered three Ottawa drug distribution networks all supplied by Ahmad Rezai, who police say got his supplies from Montreal and Toronto.

Rezai pleaded guilty and is serving an eight-year sentence.

El-Zein pleaded guilty as part of an agreement with Crown prosecutors and faced a heavier sentence because of three high-powered weapons and ammunition found at the gang’s Ogilvie Road “stash house” and another at El-Zein’s home.

According to facts agreed to by the defence and prosecution, police watched El-Zein and another accused make numerous visits to the Ogilvie Road apartment.

Prosecutors say that the two had control over everything in the apartment where police seized a sub-machine gun, a version of the semi-automatic Kalashnikov assault rifle, and a 9mm handgun.

Along with $3,165 cash, police seized 3,225 grams of cocaine (which was assigned an estimated street value of $322,510), 775 grams of marijuana (valued at $11,625 on the street); crack cocaine ($21,500), and 16 ecstasy pills ($400) from the apartment.

The apartment, which was only occasionally occupied overnight, was furnished with a dining table and chairs, a sofa, a large television and gaming system, and a selection of video games. Police also found numerous personal grooming products, liquor and beer and two pairs of bedroom slippers.

A fourth gun and another $9,285 cash were recovered at El-Zein’s home and almost $40,000 cash at his parent’s home.

Police estimate that the entire Project Sleepwalker operation netted a variety of illegal drugs with a street value of more than $2.5 million.

Shortly after the takedown, then Ottawa police Chief Vern White called Project Sleepwalker “one of the most important drug investigations in Ottawa over the past 20 years.”

After initial work by the Ottawa police, Ontario Provincial Police, RCMP and Toronto and Montreal police combined to bust the drug operations.

Police estimated that gang leaders amassed millions of dollars worth of real estate property and other high-priced assets from their drug sales.

Fifteen bank accounts were frozen after the operation and orders imposed preventing the sale of three houses — two in Ottawa and one in Montreal.

Police also seized numerous luxury items, along with silver and gold bars.

With credit for time served after his arrest, and three months’ credit for adhering to his strict bail conditions, El-Zein’s penitentiary sentence was reduced to 11 years and three months.